Bazán is highly active in the feminist movement in the stories she writes, and how strongly she advocates the advancement of women in the social structure. However, she doesn't do the same for lower class. Is it hypocritical of her to argue against the submission of women to male authority when she supported the class hierarchy? As written in the "Introduction" article on Bazán's life, her life "shows a concern for social prestige and class dominance" (XV).
As for her feminist ideology, how much of her beliefs do you think were affected by her personal life? She wrote much of her stories with a wedding scene; she went through a divorce herself after her husband told her not to write (XII). To what extent did this play a role in her writings?
Finally, did anyone find a parallel between "Torn Lace" to the movie Inception? I thought that this connection was especially apparent on page 67 of "Torn Lace" when Bazán writes, "this idea took hold of me, and with it came another one."
In the "Holy Anorexia" article it is written that the first recorded case of anorexia was in 1686. I know that today in society, one major reason why many girls are anorexic is because of social pressures to be beautiful enough, or to fit in to the stereotype of how thin a girl should be. M question is how far back does this implication of society go back to? What caused a girl to be anorexic in the seventeenth century? Is it the same thing as what causes women to be anorexic today in society? Also, in medieval times I know that eating and food were a sign of wealth, and that to be plumper was a good thing. (This idea is also mentioned in "Holy Feast and Holy Fast") When did things change, where being plump was no longer a good thing, and instead looked down upon? Now to be upper class and respected many women feel they must uphold a social image of being very thin. Could being skinny be a part of a woman's innate mental thinking, and not just societal pressures? Because being anorexic in 1686, like the first recorded case, seems so out of place for the era. what sparked it?
Rudolph M. Bell's Article "Holy Anorexia" attempts historical texts relating to anorexia and cites several medical doctors and psychoanalysis's in the article. Historical text and stories relating to anorexia suggests that anorexia is a mental disorder with roots in depression, which may be spontaneous. Today, "anorexia" is most commonly known as a disease that arises with negative body image and is related to body disturbance. The two views differ so widely - how does modern medicine explain this difference in origin of anorexia?
In the article "Holy Feast and Holy Fast",20th century anorexia is being categorized as a cultural and societal construct that has been "learned from a culture that has complex and long-standing traditions about women, about bodies, and about food." Acording to the article, anorectics are able to reassert their power over manipulation. So when do we establish our own limitations and draw the line? Until what point do we feel in control of our own bodies without having to resort to anorexia?
I found this week’s articles to be quite interesting especially Holy Feast and Holy Fast which discussed anorexia in women back then. What were the primary causes of this anorexia? Today anorexia is wholly associated with females’ body image and their need to fit society’s definition of beauty. However, I do not think this was the case then. The article mentions the norms of food and eating back then including the norm of men devouring heavy foods such as meat while women relied on lighter foods. Were some of these norms reasons for their anorexia? Anorexia-bulimia is “a type of biologically caused depression (Caroline Bynum, 197). Was the cause depression due to their unfulfilled lives and positions in society?
In 'Holy Anorexia' and also in 'Holy feast and holy fast' it seems that anorexia nervosa, for whatever reason has typically been a disease found in women. Not to say that there are not men plagued by this, but within anorexia's history, women seem to be at the forefront. Why is this? Why then and, even to a certain extent today, does this disease show up more in women than in men? Does it have anything to do with the chemical balance in a woman's brain or is it just because of the way society has treated women? Many doctors from the 17th and 18th centuries attribute the cause of anorexia to emotional trauma or depression, which could be true. However, perhaps there was an element of unease with one's physical appearance.
In "Holy Anorexia" the author Rudolph M. Bell explains how anorexia is common in "well-to-do, white, Western girls" who grew up in a good environment with supportive parents. If this is the case, and these young girls are still afflicted with this disorder in that they have this need for control, what possible solutions will alleviate the problem (ie. any other things/activities they could control)? As parents, what could they do to help their daughter get through to recovery without being controlling? This is Grace Huang.
In Holy Anorexia, the author compares modern instances of eating disorders with women that participated in ritual fasting for religious reasons in history. If this is due to a desire for control (of self and of circumstance, as suggested by the author), then why do women in particular experience this need for control? I wonder if this could be due to the powerlessness that women hold in society. But since the women's rights movement has made leaps and bounds since the time period discussed in Holy Anorexia, what aspects of society and its perceptions of women cause modern women to feel this same powerlessness?
Matthew 6:16 "And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get." Many Christians believe that fasting will allow a stronger relationship with God to occur, and the longer it is for, the more devoted you are to God. One of my friends fasted for 4 days and she fainted. The nurse was saying that she was anorexic, but this is completely the opposite because she loves all types of food. At church we are always reminded to pray and fast because this is the way we will continue to strengthen our relationship with God. There was once where all the youth had to sign up for one day of the week to fast, so I felt forced to fast. Fasting occurs when people try to please God, but anorexia occurs when girls want to be thinner to please themselves. Do you think there are girls (or boys) that use fasting as a different route to anorexia? Do they use fasting as an excuse to not eat instead of being categorized as anorexic?
In the article "Holy Anorexia", the author relates the "typical" case of annorexia (pg. 17-19). He mentions regarding children, that anorexics think "the idea of being someone's wife stands in the way". I don't think that this is a characteristic of anorexia. I think that many cases of anorexia and other similar disorders may originally stem from abuse from a male figure in their lives, which would cause this feeling of never being able to be with a man. I feel like this idea is also common with anorexia and depression, because the two are often exhibited in the same individuals. Where do we draw the line between anorexia and depression? More generally, where do we draw the line between two disorders that often occur together?
One passage in "Holy Anorexia" sticks out to me as especially relevant to the question of gender roles and the measures individuals take to fulfill gendered expectations: "Her newly won self-esteem and confidence initially receive the approbation of those she depends upon (...) causing her to deepen her self-denial pattern until it takes over as the only source of her sense of self." (Bell, 20) In this case, the anorexic girl is fueled by the support and acceptance she receives in response to her newfound self-confidence and is not willing to let go of her detrimental habits, because that would mean letting go of her control, satisfaction, and self-esteem (which are arguably more masculine traits). It is indeed certainly counterintuitive to associate the idea of a frail and thin girl to the concept of strength. To what extent to we change ourselves to fit in with societal norms and preferences? Are there other cases beyond anorexia that illustrate this desire to model certain societal images? While the majority of anorexia patients are female, what would happen in the case of an anorexic male? Would a study of the possible reasons driving this male to anorexia reveal the same psychological factors and subconscious motives as those of females? Beyond the incontrollable elements of the disease, would anorexic male and female behaviors differ from one another according to the gender roles embedded in society?
I just think it is so interesting that people could see themselves one way while others may see the same person in a completely different way. So, I'd like to know what part of the brain is attributed for these perceptions of self image?
In “Holy Feast and Holy Fast” by Caroline Bynum, it says that the distribution of food and “cooking was so much a woman’s role” since the medieval times and in the majority of cultures (Bynum 190). In the European Middle Ages, the males were the ones who consumed the food while the women were the ones who had to prepare and serve food. Since women prepared the food, they could also deny the food to themselves when they were fasting. However, in the modern day, there are a lot of men, like male chefs and domestic husbands, who cook and prepare the food for others. In a modern world, does this mean that the reverse is true, that women’s decreased responsibility in the preparation of food leads to less fasting and eating disorders? How have women’s roles as the providers of food changed since medieval times? Is there really an association with the control of food and conditions like anorexia and bulimia and fasting?
In regards to "Holy Anorexia," I found the arguments to be somewhat off base and out of touch with what I would deem to be a social issue. Most today would associate anorexia with a misplaced body image by those who participate in the practice of self starvation. Why others may argue that practices such as fasting, is a spiritual experience that is essential to self discipline. Throughout the article the focus became less on the patient and more about the individuals surrounding them. What affect the family was having on the person and the person using self starvation as a means of gaining control over their own lives. Was it ever argued during the time that those who participated in this practice were trying to live up to societies standards of the ideal body image? Also on page 11, the author briefly talks about the relationship of sexual desire and self starvation. Frankly, the author lost me completely when suggesting that a lack of eating could be associated with an "oral impregnation fantasy involving the father's incorporated phallus." Can anyone give me a better explanation as to what that means, or better yet how does make such an associate which seems to be incestuous from the outset?
When reading "Holy Anorexia", I found that the author seemed to be describing a disease that was not very well known. It was interesting how for many years in the past, Anorexia was confused with many other diseases and, even when differentiated, could only be recognized by comparing observations to previous cases. For awhile, doctors were unsure about the cause of Anorexia and just found signs for diagnosis by observing previous patients. I'm wondering, how much progress has been made today? Is it still as hard to diagnose Anorexia Nervosa or can one who starves themselves for beauty be easily diagnosed?
The main feature of anorexia is intentional starvation that is result of a wrong perception or a distorted view of one's body image.
My question is how women who suffer from this disorder go from being perfectly healthy and rational to being irrational and disillusioned about their bodies? What happens in the brain to cause such a dramatic change in perception?
If losing control over one's life is the trigger, how long does it usually take a sufferer to recognize the real treat of truly being helpless and out of control? Or do they ever?
The Holy Anorexia article mentions that women are the ones in control of food, and that men sometimes fear that women are poisoning their food. Later, they cited that the need for control is one of the possible causes of anorexia. They also say that religious fasting is traditionally something women do. My question is why food? Of all the things a woman could be deprived of, why food? Today, we associate it with a need for physical beauty, but that clearly shouldn't be the case since at some point excessive slenderness leads to unattractiveness which should in turn, if the motive truly is for physical beauty, lead to consumption of more food. What's the real reason behind this social response/psychological problem/religious action/etc?
In regards to "Torn Lace" by Pardo Bazán:
ReplyDeleteBazán is highly active in the feminist movement in the stories she writes, and how strongly she advocates the advancement of women in the social structure. However, she doesn't do the same for lower class. Is it hypocritical of her to argue against the submission of women to male authority when she supported the class hierarchy? As written in the "Introduction" article on Bazán's life, her life "shows a concern for social prestige and class dominance" (XV).
As for her feminist ideology, how much of her beliefs do you think were affected by her personal life? She wrote much of her stories with a wedding scene; she went through a divorce herself after her husband told her not to write (XII). To what extent did this play a role in her writings?
Finally, did anyone find a parallel between "Torn Lace" to the movie Inception? I thought that this connection was especially apparent on page 67 of "Torn Lace" when Bazán writes, "this idea took hold of me, and with it came another one."
In the "Holy Anorexia" article it is written that the first recorded case of anorexia was in 1686. I know that today in society, one major reason why many girls are anorexic is because of social pressures to be beautiful enough, or to fit in to the stereotype of how thin a girl should be. M question is how far back does this implication of society go back to? What caused a girl to be anorexic in the seventeenth century? Is it the same thing as what causes women to be anorexic today in society? Also, in medieval times I know that eating and food were a sign of wealth, and that to be plumper was a good thing. (This idea is also mentioned in "Holy Feast and Holy Fast") When did things change, where being plump was no longer a good thing, and instead looked down upon? Now to be upper class and respected many women feel they must uphold a social image of being very thin. Could being skinny be a part of a woman's innate mental thinking, and not just societal pressures? Because being anorexic in 1686, like the first recorded case, seems so out of place for the era. what sparked it?
ReplyDeleteRudolph M. Bell's Article "Holy Anorexia" attempts historical texts relating to anorexia and cites several medical doctors and psychoanalysis's in the article. Historical text and stories relating to anorexia suggests that anorexia is a mental disorder with roots in depression, which may be spontaneous. Today, "anorexia" is most commonly known as a disease that arises with negative body image and is related to body disturbance. The two views differ so widely - how does modern medicine explain this difference in origin of anorexia?
ReplyDeleteIn the article "Holy Feast and Holy Fast",20th century anorexia is being categorized as a cultural and societal construct that has been "learned from a culture that has complex and long-standing traditions about women, about bodies, and about food." Acording to the article, anorectics are able to reassert their power over manipulation. So when do we establish our own limitations and draw the line? Until what point do we feel in control of our own bodies without having to resort to anorexia?
ReplyDeleteI found this week’s articles to be quite interesting especially Holy Feast and Holy Fast which discussed anorexia in women back then. What were the primary causes of this anorexia? Today anorexia is wholly associated with females’ body image and their need to fit society’s definition of beauty. However, I do not think this was the case then. The article mentions the norms of food and eating back then including the norm of men devouring heavy foods such as meat while women relied on lighter foods. Were some of these norms reasons for their anorexia? Anorexia-bulimia is “a type of biologically caused depression (Caroline Bynum, 197). Was the cause depression due to their unfulfilled lives and positions in society?
ReplyDeleteIn 'Holy Anorexia' and also in 'Holy feast and holy fast' it seems that anorexia nervosa, for whatever reason has typically been a disease found in women. Not to say that there are not men plagued by this, but within anorexia's history, women seem to be at the forefront. Why is this? Why then and, even to a certain extent today, does this disease show up more in women than in men? Does it have anything to do with the chemical balance in a woman's brain or is it just because of the way society has treated women? Many doctors from the 17th and 18th centuries attribute the cause of anorexia to emotional trauma or depression, which could be true. However, perhaps there was an element of unease with one's physical appearance.
ReplyDeleteIn "Holy Anorexia" the author Rudolph M. Bell explains how anorexia is common in "well-to-do, white, Western girls" who grew up in a good environment with supportive parents. If this is the case, and these young girls are still afflicted with this disorder in that they have this need for control, what possible solutions will alleviate the problem (ie. any other things/activities they could control)? As parents, what could they do to help their daughter get through to recovery without being controlling? This is Grace Huang.
ReplyDeleteIn Holy Anorexia, the author compares modern instances of eating disorders with women that participated in ritual fasting for religious reasons in history. If this is due to a desire for control (of self and of circumstance, as suggested by the author), then why do women in particular experience this need for control? I wonder if this could be due to the powerlessness that women hold in society. But since the women's rights movement has made leaps and bounds since the time period discussed in Holy Anorexia, what aspects of society and its perceptions of women cause modern women to feel this same powerlessness?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 6:16
ReplyDelete"And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get."
Many Christians believe that fasting will allow a stronger relationship with God to occur, and the longer it is for, the more devoted you are to God. One of my friends fasted for 4 days and she fainted. The nurse was saying that she was anorexic, but this is completely the opposite because she loves all types of food. At church we are always reminded to pray and fast because this is the way we will continue to strengthen our relationship with God. There was once where all the youth had to sign up for one day of the week to fast, so I felt forced to fast. Fasting occurs when people try to please God, but anorexia occurs when girls want to be thinner to please themselves. Do you think there are girls (or boys) that use fasting as a different route to anorexia? Do they use fasting as an excuse to not eat instead of being categorized as anorexic?
In the article "Holy Anorexia", the author relates the "typical" case of annorexia (pg. 17-19). He mentions regarding children, that anorexics think "the idea of being someone's wife stands in the way". I don't think that this is a characteristic of anorexia. I think that many cases of anorexia and other similar disorders may originally stem from abuse from a male figure in their lives, which would cause this feeling of never being able to be with a man. I feel like this idea is also common with anorexia and depression, because the two are often exhibited in the same individuals. Where do we draw the line between anorexia and depression? More generally, where do we draw the line between two disorders that often occur together?
ReplyDeleteOne passage in "Holy Anorexia" sticks out to me as especially relevant to the question of gender roles and the measures individuals take to fulfill gendered expectations: "Her newly won self-esteem and confidence initially receive the approbation of those she depends upon (...) causing her to deepen her self-denial pattern until it takes over as the only source of her sense of self." (Bell, 20) In this case, the anorexic girl is fueled by the support and acceptance she receives in response to her newfound self-confidence and is not willing to let go of her detrimental habits, because that would mean letting go of her control, satisfaction, and self-esteem (which are arguably more masculine traits). It is indeed certainly counterintuitive to associate the idea of a frail and thin girl to the concept of strength. To what extent to we change ourselves to fit in with societal norms and preferences? Are there other cases beyond anorexia that illustrate this desire to model certain societal images? While the majority of anorexia patients are female, what would happen in the case of an anorexic male? Would a study of the possible reasons driving this male to anorexia reveal the same psychological factors and subconscious motives as those of females? Beyond the incontrollable elements of the disease, would anorexic male and female behaviors differ from one another according to the gender roles embedded in society?
ReplyDeleteI just think it is so interesting that people could see themselves one way while others may see the same person in a completely different way. So, I'd like to know what part of the brain is attributed for these perceptions of self image?
ReplyDeleteIn “Holy Feast and Holy Fast” by Caroline Bynum, it says that the distribution of food and “cooking was so much a woman’s role” since the medieval times and in the majority of cultures (Bynum 190). In the European Middle Ages, the males were the ones who consumed the food while the women were the ones who had to prepare and serve food. Since women prepared the food, they could also deny the food to themselves when they were fasting. However, in the modern day, there are a lot of men, like male chefs and domestic husbands, who cook and prepare the food for others. In a modern world, does this mean that the reverse is true, that women’s decreased responsibility in the preparation of food leads to less fasting and eating disorders? How have women’s roles as the providers of food changed since medieval times? Is there really an association with the control of food and conditions like anorexia and bulimia and fasting?
ReplyDeleteIn regards to "Holy Anorexia," I found the arguments to be somewhat off base and out of touch with what I would deem to be a social issue. Most today would associate anorexia with a misplaced body image by those who participate in the practice of self starvation. Why others may argue that practices such as fasting, is a spiritual experience that is essential to self discipline. Throughout the article the focus became less on the patient and more about the individuals surrounding them. What affect the family was having on the person and the person using self starvation as a means of gaining control over their own lives. Was it ever argued during the time that those who participated in this practice were trying to live up to societies standards of the ideal body image? Also on page 11, the author briefly talks about the relationship of sexual desire and self starvation. Frankly, the author lost me completely when suggesting that a lack of eating could be associated with an "oral impregnation fantasy involving the father's incorporated phallus." Can anyone give me a better explanation as to what that means, or better yet how does make such an associate which seems to be incestuous from the outset?
ReplyDeleteWhen reading "Holy Anorexia", I found that the author seemed to be describing a disease that was not very well known. It was interesting how for many years in the past, Anorexia was confused with many other diseases and, even when differentiated, could only be recognized by comparing observations to previous cases. For awhile, doctors were unsure about the cause of Anorexia and just found signs for diagnosis by observing previous patients. I'm wondering, how much progress has been made today? Is it still as hard to diagnose Anorexia Nervosa or can one who starves themselves for beauty be easily diagnosed?
ReplyDeleteThe main feature of anorexia is intentional starvation that is result of a wrong perception or a distorted view of one's body image.
ReplyDeleteMy question is how women who suffer from this disorder go from being perfectly healthy and rational to being irrational and disillusioned about their bodies? What happens in the brain to cause such a dramatic change in perception?
If losing control over one's life is the trigger, how long does it usually take a sufferer to recognize the real treat of truly being helpless and out of control? Or do they ever?
The Holy Anorexia article mentions that women are the ones in control of food, and that men sometimes fear that women are poisoning their food. Later, they cited that the need for control is one of the possible causes of anorexia. They also say that religious fasting is traditionally something women do. My question is why food? Of all the things a woman could be deprived of, why food? Today, we associate it with a need for physical beauty, but that clearly shouldn't be the case since at some point excessive slenderness leads to unattractiveness which should in turn, if the motive truly is for physical beauty, lead to consumption of more food. What's the real reason behind this social response/psychological problem/religious action/etc?
ReplyDelete